Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.” Doug Larson
Spring is finally here! I have been sneaking the bedroom window open a crack so that I can hear the birds as they wake up each morning. I love all the different songs that they sing and sometimes I like to lie there and listen to them talk to each other.
The smell of spring is something else that I love! Don’t you just love the smell of the air after a spring rain? Or the smell of clean sheets after they have come off the clothes line? Or freshly mowed grass?
Robert H. Schuller once said, “Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come.”
That is good advice that I have always tried to follow and I have encouraged others to follow. When we are stressed and our minds are full, we have a hard time seeing a situation accurately. But when our minds are clearer, it is always easier to make a good decision.
We sometimes think of the hard times that we go through as the “winter” of our lives because we associate winter with cold, dark and bleak. But when we look back on those “winters,” we can often see that the “winters” of our lives often make us stronger. And they also really make us appreciate the ‘springs” all the more.
I know what you might be thinking. How can she even complain after the winter we just had and, yes, you are right. It was an easy winter. But I am quite certain that there are some of you reading this right now who had a very tough “winter” this year. And for those of you who did, I have one more spring quote; “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.” Hal Borland.
And finally, one that will see you through whatever comes your way, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Bonnie
Callie Shyvonne Crowder
Our Princeton Theological Seminary summer intern this year is Callie Shyvonne Crowder! We will be telling you more about Callie next month. Callie’s first day will be June 4 and she is looking forward to coming to Mayfield. Callie asked Sheena about Mayfield and Sheena said, “Just go!”
Monday and Tuesday Bible Study
Bible Study groups are meeting at the church Mondays at noon (bring lunch if you wish) and Tuesdays at 5:30. We are studying PhilipYancey’s book Vanishing Grace What Ever Happened to the Good News. Come join us!
ThursdaysKnitters and Quilters
The Knitters and Quilters meet at noon in Fellowship Hall. Some of us are knitting hats and mittens and others are working on projects of their own or quilting. Call Libby Van Nostrand if you have questions.
May 4Mother-Daughter Banquet
PW will hold its annual Mother and Daughter Potluck Dinner on Wednesday, May 4th in Fellowship Hall at 5:30 p.m. PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF TIME (Rev. Bonnie and others would like to go to a program at the Synagogue in Gloversville at 7:00 pm.). Please bring a dish to pass and table service for you and your guests. Irene White’s grandson will play guitar for us that evening.
May 4Holocaust Day Service
The Knesseth Isreal Synagogue (34 E. Fulton St.) is holding a YOM HA SHOAH (Holocaust Day Service) on Wednesday, May 4, at 7:00 pm. Murray Jaros, one of the few remaining holocaust survivors will be the speaker. He was 8 years old at the time.
May 7Gloversville Community Music
The Glove City Winds and Community Winds will present a program featuring works that celebrate our region’s rich history in the arts at our church on Saturday, May 7 at 3:30 pm. Tickets are $7 pre-sale (at the Mohawk Harvest Cooperative Market in Gloversville) and $10 at the door. All are welcome to attend.
May 10PCUSA Mission Co-workers Dinner
PCUSA Mission Co-workers in Guatemala, Sandi and Brian Thompson Royer, will be visiting our church on Tuesday, May 10. They will be here for a dinner at 6:00 pm and at 7:00 pm they will talk about their mission work in Guatemala and the church’s work around the world. There will be a free will offering taken which helps to support them and their work in Guatemala. Please sign up in Fellowship Hall on Sunday or call the church so we have an idea of the number of people coming for dinner.
May 18Presbyterian Women
PW will meet on Wednesday May 18 at 7:00 pm in Fellowship Hall. We will be discussing the Networking Dinner in the fall and other upcoming events. The Bible verse letter is “E”.
LOOKING AHEAD
June 3 & 421st Annual Quilt Show
Our 21st annual Quilt Show will take place on Friday, June 3rd from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.and continue on Saturday, June 4th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Quilt teacher and designer, Sue Pritt, will present a special program on Friday evening at 6:30 p.m.
This annual fundraiser is getting closer and it is time to get commitments from helpers. A few strong people are needed to move the quilt racks down from the storage space. This will take place on Wednesday evening, June 1rd. On Thursday, we will need a couple of people who can climb on ladders to hang the quilts on the high supports on the walls. At the end of the show on Saturday, we will again need people to take the quilts off the walls (with ladders) and put the quilt racks away. In addition to these most important “jobs”, there are many other ways to be involved in this effort. A sign-up sheet is posted in Fellowship Hall with dates and times helpers will be needed.
The women of the church will have lunch available so there will be signup sheets for bringing in goodies, sandwiches, soup and salads. You may also become a sponsor of the event. (Gold Sponsor - $10.00 or Silver Sponsor - $5.00). A form will be available at church soon for anyone who would like to sponsor this event. See Nancy Frank (661-5328) with questions.
June 18Golf Tournament
Please mark June 18 on your calendar for our annual Golf Tournament and spread the word Don’t golf? We need lots of help, making food, serving food, gathering door prizes, etc. See Golf Tournament Notes.
June 26 Outdoor Worship & Church Picnic
The annual worship service and picnic will be held on Sunday, June 26th at the Dahls’ on Priddle Point.
June 27 - July 1VBS Deep Sea Discovery
Join us the week of June 27 for our 2016 Vacation Bible School. One of Callie's biggest projects for her summer internship is to lead our VBS. Please mark the dates on your calendar and volunteer to help her make this a success for all the youth of Mayfield. We will need lots of help with snacks, group leaders, craft leaders, decorating, etc.
July 30Barbecue
Getting geared up for this year’s chicken BBQ on Saturday, 7/30! Pie call lists have been updated - thank you Libby!! This year we are asking that you please label your pies so that we can have an accurate list of all varieties available for our guests. Advertising is underway; look for sign up sheets and fliers for distribution soon!!
MISSION NOTES
Friday’s Table
The Mayfield Group did a marvelous job serving 50 very appreciative people and gave out 30 take-home meals at Friday’s Table on April 15th, 2016. We are scheduled to serve again on Friday July 1st, 2016.
We have a great time preparing the meals. All are welcome we range in age from 9 to 80 years young! We gather at Holy Spirit Community Center, 161 South Main Street, Gloversville @ 3:30pm or whenever folks can get there! We usually serve roast pork, carrots and roasted potatoes! The bread, salad fixings and deserts are all donated by Price Chopper and Hannaford.
If you can join us please arrive at 3:30pm or whenever you can, we serve at 5:30pm and we are all cleaned up by about 6:30pm, amazing! Please let Mary DiSanto-Rose at mdisanto@skidmore.edu or 224-2080 know if you can come. Thanks, Mary
CROPWALK
We had 46 adults and 17 kids walk in the CROPWALK on Sunday, April 24th. It was a perfect day for it! The amount raised will be announced shortly. It was good to see Jim and Carol Cownie out for this event.
Food Pantry
We could use canned peas and corn. Also strawberry or raspberry jam. Anything is welcome. Please remind people of the sign up sheet in fellowship, I have no one for May or June yet. We will be having a meeting when all the "snow birds" return. Thank you, Crystal
SESSION NOTES
The fifth Sunday collection this month will go to the Niles Scholarshiop Fund. A donation container will be on the table as you enter Fellowship Hall. The next Session meeting wioll be on May 23rd at 6:30 because the last Monday is Memorial Day. Please let Janis Frisch know of matters to be discussed.
SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
The Sunday School children will be having a fun and games night Saturday, April 30. We are trying to plan them once a month. The next couple of months we will also be practicing for the end of the year performance on June 19 - Do you know the Ten Commandments? All children should make an effort to attend on Sundays and the Saturday evening fun times.
There is a table set up with multiple raffle items by the children.They are raising money for their children in Africa. Why not buy a chance and help them out! They are also doing a bottle drive. Please save yourselves the trouble of returning them and bring them to church. There is a box in the back hall. We would love to see all the wonderful faces of our children before Sunday School is over for the summer. Get the word out that Vacation Bible School – Deep Sea Discoveries is June 27 until July 1.
WORSHIP COMMITTEE
On May 8th, we are very pleased to welcome back our first storyteller/painter, Dave Weiss, who painted several paintings for us while telling his story last summer. Following that amazing performance, many people requested that we ask him to return.He will paint and share The Parable of the Talents- "Hurried, Buried and Worried" . Plan to stay for lunch that will follow worship that morning.
It is also “Something Beautiful Sunday” and we are asking everyone to bring a picture of your mother for showing.
GOLF TOURNAMENT NOTES
Our fifth annual golf tournament will be held on Saturday June 18, registration 7:30 am, tee off 8:00, at Holland Meadows Golf Course. (Rain date June 25th) It will be a scramble with four players (men and women) on each team - each player hits a ball from the tee and the best ball is played again by each player. If you don’t have a complete team sign-up and we will partner you up with a team. Sign-up flyers are on the table near the front door or call Art Dahl at 661-5800. If a power cart is needed reserve one by calling the course at 883-3328. (Pay the course for cart rental.) The price of the tournament is $50, which includes 18 holes of golf, prizes and a luncheon at the golf course’s picnic grove.
We also need hole sponsors and help with lunch. Call Art Dahl or fill out a flyer to order a sign to be placed at a tee. The cost is $25 if we already have a sign, $50 for new ones. We are looking for people to bring salads, hot dogs and hamburgers, buns, soda and the like. Let Mary Lou Bryan know what you will bring and if you’d like to help cook and serve.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Mid Edel May 5
Gary Lair May 5
Greg Putman May 6
Dan Hanna May 10
Joan Montgomery May 12
Charlotte Conye May 14
Nancy Frank May 15
Carolyn Putman May 22
Val Warner May 22
Jean Warner May 22
Linda Smith May 25
Clarissa Putman May 29
Evan Orth May 30
Bonnie Orth May 31
Kate Annunziata May 31
DID YOU KNOW?
…that Mid Edel, our most senior member, will celebrate her 102nd birthday on May 5th. She would love to get cards from her church family. Her address is –Fulton Center for Rehab & Healthcare, Section A, 847 Co. Hwy 122, Gloversville, NY 12078.
… that May 29th is a fifth Sunday and our donations will go to the Niles Scholarship Fund. There were four applications for scholarships this year.
The Good News Letter Editor is Christine Dahl
Please give information that you may want to get in the newsletter to her by May 22
for inclusion in the June Newsletter.